Feb 3, 1942
Bases captured today: Johore Bharu (RES 1(99) [:(], but 20k supply), Balikpapan (OIL 300(0), REF 400(0) [;)]), and Mersing
Bases assaulted today: Talasea and Kwangchowan
Since a shock attack was planned at Johore Bharu, throwing in a few paratroopers seemed prudent; had not the engineers reduced forts the attack would not have succeeded -
Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 29327 troops, 357 guns, 276 vehicles, Assault Value = 893
Defending force 12969 troops, 211 guns, 155 vehicles, Assault Value = 174
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 384
Allied adjusted defense: 165
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Johore Bahru !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
389 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 32 (1 destroyed, 31 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1975 casualties reported
Squads: 70 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 326 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 141 (124 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 147 (146 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 13 to Singapore
Units destroyed 3 (a battalion and 2 AA units)
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
Imperial Guards Division
1st Tank Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
18th Division
2nd Raiding Rgt /1
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
27th Australian Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
1st Malay Battalion
8th Indian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
2nd Argylls Battalion
5/2nd Punjab Battalion
137/155th Field Regiment
11 Battery/3 HAA
30 Battery/3 HAA
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
111th RAF Adv Base Force
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
5th Field Regiment
The fight was easier at Balikpapan; crossing the river with a shock attack -
Ground combat at Balikpapan (64,97)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 12746 troops, 127 guns, 130 vehicles, Assault Value = 419
Defending force 2799 troops, 47 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 63
Japanese adjusted assault: 380
Allied adjusted defense: 10
Japanese assault odds: 38 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Balikpapan !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
B-339D: 10 destroyed
Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
403 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
756 casualties reported
Squads: 29 destroyed, 37 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 36 (30 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Assaulting units:
38th Division
2nd Tank Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
VI KNIL Battalion
I Samarinda Cdo
II Samarinda Cdo
Balikpapan Defenses
Balikpapan MLD Base Force
And at Mersing, with no retreat route available, the defenders had to surrender -
Ground combat at Mersing (51,82)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14486 troops, 105 guns, 140 vehicles, Assault Value = 497
Defending force 1977 troops, 22 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 42
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 214
Allied adjusted defense: 15
Japanese assault odds: 14 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Mersing !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
2019 casualties reported
Squads: 85 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 107 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units surrendered 2
Assaulting units:
56th Division
6th Tank Regiment
Defending units:
22nd Indian Brigade
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
In the South Pacific, Nells from Rabaul attacked Allied transports at Tulagi; so we have to assume Tulagi has been occupied (why else would transports be there?).
